Walking Slower? Why Your Ears, Not Your Knees, Might Be the Problem

[mahatmakanejeeves]

The Wall Street Journal
‪@wsj.com‬

Apple’s hearing study used real-world data from more than 57,000 iPhone users to make an important health connection. on.wsj.com/4dn2zHk

Walking Slower? Why Your Ears, Not Your Knees, Might Be the Problem
Apple’s hearing study used real-world data from more than 57,000 iPhone users to make an important health connection.
on.wsj.com
9:01 AM · May 9, 2026

Apple’s hearing study used real-world data from more than 57,000 iPhone users to make an important health connection. on.wsj.com/4dn2zHk

— The Wall Street Journal (@wsj.com) 2026-05-09T13:01:45.385871Z

Health • Wellness • Family & Tech: Julie Jargon

Walking Slower? Why Your Ears, Not Your Knees, Might Be the Problem

Apple’s hearing study used real-world data from more than 57,000 iPhone users to make an important health connection

By Julie Jargon
May 9, 2026 9:00 am ET


Illustration of an older man in glasses walking up a series of blue bar graphs, symbolizing sound waves, against an orange background.
JASON SCHNEIDER FOR WSJ

If you find yourself walking more slowly than you used to, it might be time to get your hearing checked.

A study of more than 57,000 iPhone users confirms a correlation between hearing loss and slower walking speeds. Previous studies have shown that hearing loss is associated with dementia, depression, loneliness and an increased risk of falling. Apple’s hearing study, conducted with the University of Michigan, is a significant contributor to the growing body of research.

{snip}

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[Innocent Smith]

1. Why Can't it be Both?

joking (sort of)

[multigraincracker]

2. Ears, knees, it's all getting older.

[usonian]

3. Correlation is not causation!!!

A study of more than 57,000 iPhone users confirms a correlation between hearing loss and slower walking speeds.

Now, let me tell you a top secret. People tend to walk slower AND lose some hearing as they grow older.

Sure, my hearing at age 77 isn't what it used to be, but as for the following:

dementia, depression, loneliness and an increased risk of falling

You can stuff those in a sock.

And as for mental acuity, I DAILY outsmart the internet.
The paywalled study referenced above is free to read at MSN.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/walking-slower-why-your-ears-not-your-knees-might-be-the-problem/ar-AA22LE10

Give me any paywall, and I'll bust it!
(only a few are beyond my powers. I'm working on that)


Oh, and by the way:

What isn’t yet known, Nieman says, is whether hearing aids can improve gait and walking speed.

So, the correlation, if true, don't help you worth shit.

[ret5hd]

5. as someone 10 yrs your junior, i say...

“what? i couldn’t hear ya! can it wait til i get back from my hike?”

[usonian]

6. I retired when

I couldn't SEE going into work any more.

[ret5hd]

7. and i when THEY couldn't see ME...

(and a few thousand like me)…

…coming into work anymore.

[The Madcap]

8. You beat me to it.

This article sounds like a typical brand name drug list of possible side effects. Most of what they listed has one common factor: aging.

[usonian]

9. It was one millimeter away from a hearing aid ad.

I was bracing for the sales pitch.

I think that the real action is in contactless blood sugar measurement. It's not there yet and I'll bet that loads of money are going into R&D.

I consulted for a startup in that space. It folded. But any startup that could afford my rates had to have tons of venture capital. It was fun while it lasted. Great lunches on the days I wasn't working remotely.

The physics, biology and chemistry are tough.

[LT Barclay]

4. As a Physical Therapist, honestly it's usually the knees and the problem with the knees is usually the feet.

But the feet usually aren’t part of a check up so by the time people get to me the knees need to be replaced and the feet are still bad.
But all too often patients are sent in for “balance” and no one checks the feet and knees so the patient gets marched in circles on damaged knees and feet.